Why the danger of ‘indigenous’ and regional languages? – 2024-02-21 09:30:23

Language is actually a strange symbolic system, in which the elements of consciousness – such as the experience of the external world, our thoughts, feelings, etc. are related to the functioning of specific areas of the brain and nerves. When we talk, every part of the body is constantly moving, coordinated. When numerous symbolic words are used simultaneously in relation to each other during language use, a complex idea or integrated flow of thought is formulated. Language is a weapon, a tool, that can contain and carry out all kinds of expression of our thoughts, imagination, experience, desire, emotion or reason. The issue of language movement is related to our thinking about language.

Children of ‘adivasi’ communities (minor ethnic groups) learn both their language and Bengali from birth. They are called bilingual. Their language is listed as a developing language, not a developing language. If education is provided only in their group language excluding Bengali as the medium of education at the initial stage, will their chances of improvement increase?

Professor Dr. Ahmad Sharif wrote in his article ‘Janm Je Tab Bange’, ‘Bangla has become the medium of education, although English is still the necessary and indispensable language in the field of international business, politics and diplomacy. So the big jobs are in the control of the rich-feudal-bourgeois people like governance-administration-finance-wealth etc., that system is kept.’ True, Bengal has remained a great misfortune till today.

Our country is home to over 2.5 million people of about 70 (45 per cent) ‘adivasis’ (minor ethnic groups). They have thousands of years of cultural and linguistic traditions. Bangladesh is rich in the colors and juices of those languages ​​and diverse cultural practices. According to the information of the International Mother Language Institute, there are 41 languages ​​including Bengali in the country. Out of which there are 33 languages ​​of “adivasis” (minor ethnic groups).

Out of these 14 have been identified as endangered languages ​​by researchers. Several other languages ​​such as Rajvanshi, Rai, Bagdi, Koch, Hadi, Kundukh, Adi Malto and Valu have become extinct. Endangered are Khasia, Santal, Munda, Mandi (Garo), Kakbarak, Laleng (Patra), Palia, Maiteymanipuri, Khumi, Bam, Kheang, Pangkho, Lusai, Mro, Chak, Thar or Thek, Marma, Chakma, Vishnupriya Manipuri, Sadri and Hajong. Apart from this, Singh, Karmkar, Gond, Bediya, Burman and Lohar languages ​​are almost on the verge of extinction.

According to UNESCO, if the number of people speaking a language in the world is less than 5000 then that language is identified as an endangered language. Accordingly, the number of endangered languages ​​in Bangladesh is 14. All indigenous languages ​​are in danger of extinction due to the continuous invasion of Bengali-English and other languages.

Linguistic researchers have recently found people speaking the language in Bangladesh, who are few in number. It is feared that within a few years, none of these languages ​​will be found. One of them is the Shoura language of the Sajek region of Rangamati, which currently has only five speakers. 30-40 people speak Rengmircha language in the same area. All of them are over fifty.

These languages ​​will disappear from the earth soon after the death of these living people. Because their northern generation does not speak this language. There is no need for that language in daily life, work, business and education. As a result, this language will be lost forever. In addition to these languages ​​of the hilly areas, there are some languages ​​in the plains that are also in a similar state of extinction.

In the border area of ​​Dinajpur, hundreds of people of only 19 families speak the ‘Kara’ language. Koda, Megam, Pangukhua, Bom, Chak, Asochin, Maru, Kukuks, Pnar, Sauria, Kheang, Khoji, Kondu, Munda etc. languages ​​are in the same situation. There is no major government initiative to protect endangered languages. In it, the arrangement of language, the flow of language is going on.

About 26 crore people of the whole world including Bangladesh, West Bengal, Assam of India express their feelings in this language. However, the status of Bengali language is constantly changing. Nowadays, the mixing of different languages ​​is increasing through the market economy in the rough form of capitalism. So far no language policy has been made for Bengali language. As a result, the changes taking place in the language are taking an alarming form.

The innate tone of our voice is shaped by the geographical location in which we are born. Another thing is important to say here. Language is created for the needs of hardworking people. The structure and tone of the language is formed according to the location where the laboring people sit and work.

Because of this, we can understand the difference in the language of different districts through the pronunciation, language structure and tone. Again, by listening to the language, I can understand the people of the area. The same language can express its territory only through pronunciation. This is regionalism. There are some differences in the pronunciation and usage of this language from the standard.

Linguists, however, say that language changes occur every 15-20 km. But the language changes even within 8 kilometers depending on the natural location. Especially in Chittagong the nature of the language changes very quickly. Yet there is variation in this shift. There is diversity in language-use-tone. Language diversity varies from region to region across the country.

Deep ties of regionalism are developed through this language. A different relationship of spirit exists with regional languages. Because the usage of the language of the same region creates a different relationship between many people. People’s souls have an affinity with the language of their region. The language a person learns from his mother after birth represents his region. Regional language is intertwined with human existence.

Especially the life-abundance that is transmitted through words with people of the same region is also different. But as the city moves into the village, people are trying to be more gentlemen. It is not understood whether the common man is comfortable in his vernacular, where he is losing his identity. When regional languages ​​are made fun of, it undoubtedly means that the standard of education has progressed and not gone backward.

Regional languages ​​are increasingly being neglected. On the other hand, the regional language goes to the city and takes the form of the civil language or the standard language. Our riverine country. All the rivers spread like nets. The language of the people on the banks of the river has the same variety of tones, the same in the mountains and the same in the plains. But just as capitalism is destroying nature by destroying nature, it is also taking away the jobs of people who work in the natural environment.

It is also a question whether the standard language can survive by banishing the regional language. Like people, languages ​​also have societies and classes. From that point of view, the regional language is untouched but the language maker. If this is not understood, the language itself will face a crisis. So it needs to be taken into consideration now.

Author: Assistant Editor, Daily Manavkantha